Geographical Identity Research Articles

Geographical indication of coffee in Brazil: identification and effects of the critical success factors towards sustainability

The Geographical Indication (GI) is more than just a mechanism for protecting farmers. This mechanism, materialized by a sign of geographical identity, determines differentiation and added value in a complex process that requires an intense effort of governance and cooperativism. The aim of this study was to analyze the critical success factors for increasing competitiveness and sustainability in the process of geographical identification for certified coffee producers in the Espírito Santo do Pinhal region of Brazil. Factors such as market arrangements, production techniques, quality differentiation, price formation, cost structure, organization and articulation around the construction and maintenance of the market by producers in this region were analyzed. The proposed methodology used an analytical framework of the certification of origin market that correlates market practices with production arrangements in a longitudinal process, considering their challenges and impacts. The results indicate that critical success factors (CSFs) identified in the certification of GIs for coffee producers are related to strong cooperative and associative actions and the presence of entities that coordinate the acquisition process and establish the rules and obligations of those involved, always aiming to encourage investment in technology and technification in pursuit of efficiency and the quality of the final product. In addition, strict control of the production method, avoiding the use of production techniques that harm the environment with good coffee-growing practices, contributes to obtaining and maintaining the GI as well as to develop appropriate attributes of sustainability.

Comparative analysis of leukemia and risk estimation in working age population between provinces of Ecuador.

Leukemia is associated with exposure to radiation, benzene derivatives, and pesticides. Previous research has documented an increase in work-related leukemia in the Latin American Andean region. To date, there are only few studies in Ecuador on the impact of oil exploitation on adjacent indigenous communities. Our study aims to show the impact of leukemia on the working-age population. For the calculation of morbidity and mortality rates, we used hospital discharge and death records from the National Institute of Statistics of Ecuador. These data were collected and adjusted to the corresponding province's population for further analysis. Large differences were observed between provinces in adjusted rates of leukemia mortality and morbidity in the working-age population. The variations in altitude among different areas in Ecuador give the provinces a distinct geographic identity. Likewise, the provinces with the highest morbidity and mortality rankings, such as Azuay, Loja, Imbabura, and Tungurahua, have an average altitude above 2000 meters. As a result, there are variations in the average temperature, exposure to solar and cosmic radiation, and mining and farming methods. The observed differences warrant the future collection of geolocation data for affected individuals. This could help to better understand how leukemia cases have demogrpahic hotspots in the country, identify possible risk factors associated with the disease in each region, and design more effective prevention and control strategies.

Reconstructing the Identity of African-Americans in Countee Cullen’s “Heritage”: Why Race Matters in America

The present paper argues that it is the color of the Africans that is an object of mockery and humiliation hurled at them by the whites. To escape from this color-induced discrimination and identity crisis, yearning for the ancestor’s native heritage is the sole sanctuary for the American people of color. This paper examines the subtle use of the symbols of dark images to show how Countee Cullen, in his poem “Heritage,” shows black people's identity crisis based on color. The dark color symbolizes a constraint on civilization and creates a distinct bifurcation between synchronization and harmony in the nation. Hence, the recurring dark color in the poem leads the minority group to quest for identity through social strengthening. The poet calls for African Americans' personal, social, and geographical identity based on hereditary identity. In the context of America, the question of true identity in the new nation leads black people to feel a deep anguish of estrangement and alienation. Drawing on Cullen’s poem as the primary source for analysis, this paper applies Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancis, Winthrop D. Jordon, Michael Banton, and Lois Tyson’s racial theory and search for identity for textual analysis. Racial discrimination creates gloom and generates inferiority among individuals. The minority group seeks identity establishment for social inclusion. Therefore, this study concludes that national coherence in American society invariably rests upon minimizing gloom, distancing, and uneasiness.

From City to Lake: Flood Legends, Place-Making and Changing Landscapes

As displayed by several myths and legends, water is a powerful means of destruction and reconfiguration of natural and human landscapes. This is especially evident when a flood is sent by god(s) or supernatural beings to punish sinful people and corrupt cities. Generally, this kind of catastrophe brings about the disappearance of a whole human community and the resulting transformation of a certain place. However, it may also happen that one or few persons, because of their piety or righteousness, are spared by the divine anger, sometimes along with their houses or something else. The present work starts from a discovery on the field of a local legend concerning Lake Varano, a coastal body of water in the Gargano peninsula (Apulia, Italy). According to this legend, Lake Varano would be the outcome of an ancient flood, sent by God to punish a prosperous and corrupt city, Uria, once flourishing in the place of the lake. Just like other more famous floods, this local flood is meant to mark a transition between an evil past, embodied by the sunken Uria, and a good present, embodied by a little church, formerly the house of the only survivor, Nunzia, a pious woman. As part of the broader corpus of flood narratives, this legend and the other ones here considered distinguish themselves as featuring a lake, which physically and symbolically shapes and connotes the religious, historical and geographical identity of a local community. Starting from Lake Varano’s origin legend, a structural and thematic analysis is conducted on a number of similar legends, in order to identify, classify and understand a particular category of narrative folklore, characterized by a significant interplay between water (flood- and lake-lore), history (ancient cities vanished), religious beliefs (retributive gods) and moral principles (evil and good). Eventually, such a comparative work will lead back to Lake Varano’s legend, because of the peculiarity of its heroine; unlike all the other survivors, who are passively rescued from a flood, Nunzia plays indeed an active part in the drama, thus resulting a co-author, with the flood, of a local place-making, that is the main concern of these legends.

Effect of drying methods on aroma, taste and antioxidant activity of Dendrobium officinale flower tea: A sensomic and metabolomic study

Dendrobium officinale flower tea (DFT) is a traditional health product of geographical identity known for its unique aroma and taste. The effects of different drying methods on sensory properties, metabolic profiles and antioxidant activity of DFT were compared using sensomics and metabolomics approaches. Twenty-seven aroma-active compounds were identified and more than half of the volatiles responsible for the “green” and “floral” scent lost after drying. Sensory evaluations revealed that vacuum freeze-dried DFT showed a significant preference in taste and fifty-eight metabolites with higher levels of glutamine were observed, possibly contributing to a “fresh” taste and increased preference. Among the three drying methods, natural air drying retained the fresh flower scent better, while freeze drying preserved the color and shape of the flowers better and enhanced the taste and antioxidant activity of DFT. The research results may provide a foundation for the selection of DFT processing method and quality detection.

At the boundary. Tatiana Repina

The article analyzes the motifs, imagery, and plot structure of three poetic collections authored by Tatiana Repina, one of the remarkable poets of ‘the thirty-year-old generation:’ Monograph. Written by a Single Person [Monografiya. Pishet odin chelovek] (2013), Without Chapters [Bez glav] (2014), and Air Density [Plotnost vozdukha] (2018). In her detailed study of the plot structure and distinctive characteristics of Repina’s poetics, Kadochnikova emphasizes the concept of boundaries as being of principal importance for understanding Repina’s poetics. The concept is revealed through the problem of a geographical identity and the lyrical heroine’s gender ambivalence, the ‘childlike/adultlike’ dichotomy, and the motif of puppetry and theatricality. A selection exemplifying the ‘local’ (Izhevsk-based) text serves the critic as a starting point for interpretation of Repina’s lyrical poetry, which Kadochnikova expands to include poems devoted to St. Petersburg, the image of the ‘generation of the 1990s,’ and problems of contemporary poetry at large. The resulting study uses Repina’s works to address the issue of boundaries in modern poetry.

Geographic identity and perceptions of walkable space

Walkability can be broadly conceived of as an evaluation of the suitability of a built environment for pedestrian locomotion and has recently become a popular concept across a multitude of disciplines. This seemingly simple concept has expanded over the years, and now operates on a multitude of scales and utilizes a variety of measurement techniques. This sprawling field now faces a challenge, with several studies concluding that walkability is becoming conceptually incoherent as it is applied in more situations—a challenge exacerbated by a lack of standardization in methodologies or definitions. Further confounding concerns of conceptual incoherence is the variability of human experience across the globe, acknowledging that different groups of people may have different values for what makes space walkable. This study explores these challenges through a comparison of two groups’ perceptions of walkable space, namely one in Montreal, Canada and one in Pune, India. By having participants from both locations rate large numbers of streetscape images based on their perceived walkability, and by comparing such ratings with machine-learning image segmentation results, aspects of the built environment that constituted walkable space for each group were evaluated. We found that while there is a difference in how walkability is conceived of in terms of elements of the built environment, a common conception of general walkability exists between the two groups. This scalar difference has important implications for future walkability work, implying that further research is needed to delineate universal walkability from contextualized walkability.

Genetic Divergence Studies among Indigenous Accessions of Cassia auriculata (L.) Roxb., through Screening and Utilization for Chambal Ravine Rehabilitation

Background: Cassia auriculata, L., is an imperative medicinal and traditional neutral colour leaf hair dye yielding in India. This is a multipurpose and indigenous, perennial leguminous shrub and widely used as traditional medicine to cure diabetics by the rural peoples. Tanner’s cassia is also used as neutral henna and its yields natural golden blonde colouring to hair through the dried leaf powder. Young buds are used for yellow colour dye extraction by textile industries. Screening of high tolerance and best performing genotypes is highly essential in this imperative woody legume shrub to rehabilitate the mass erosion prone gullied and ravine lands for productive purpose of the wasteland and degraded lands. Methods: Thirty different accessions of Cassia auriculata were assembled and numbered from CA-1 to CA-30 from arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan (India). The experimental trial was conducted at ICAR-IISWC, Research Centre, Kota-Rajasthan, India during 2019-2022. After evaluation, CA-4 genotype was selected as an elite genotype. The elite genotype was used for high density plantation development with resource conservation for green cover development in non-arable ravine lands. Result: Genetic variation studies of Cassia auriculata indicated that considerable and significant variability, abundant morphometric variations in assembled genotype progenies. Further, genetic divergence analysis was also revealed that nine clusters segregated from 30 genotypes. Thirty genotypes were grouped into nine clusters according overall performance with geographical identity. Finally, C. auriculata (CA-4) genotype was identified and selected as an elite genotype based on its overall superiority in terms of plant growth, higher green biomass, leaf litter biomass, more number branching behaviour and plant coppicing ability which are directly relevant and imperative in soil erosion control, resource conservation and potential rehabilitation effect in resource poor dry regions of non-arable lands.

Are consumers no longer willing to pay more for local foods? A field experiment

AbstractGovernment programs promoting locally produced foods have risen dramatically. But are these programs actually convincing consumers to pay more for locally produced food? Studies to date, which have mostly relied on hypothetical stated preference surveys, suggest that consumers will pay premiums for various local foods and that the premiums vary with the product and presence of any geographic identity. This study reports results from a large field experiment involving 1,050 adult consumers to reveal consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) premiums for “locally produced” foods – mushrooms and oysters. Despite strong statistical power, this study reveals no positive effect of the locally produced label on consumer WTP. These null results are contrary to most of the existing literature on this topic. The finding that consumers are not willing to pay more for local foods has important implications for state and federal agencies that promote labeling campaigns that seek to increase demand and generate premiums for locally produced foods.

Knowledge and space in models of regional development

New knowledge is recognized as an important resource of positive dynamics of the territory development. As a result knowledge becomes an element of economic models that try to summarize regularities of economic growth and development of regions, cities and countries. The article provides structured analysis of the well known models to research regional development, which combines factors of knowledge and space. It studies ways of including knowledge and space in models, where the object of observation is territorial social and economic system, enterprise or agent possessing knowledge. Models of balanced growth, econometric ones and models with maximization aim are shown. At the same time space autocorrelation analysis and space regressive models can be used that help assess heterogeneity of innovation development in regions and identify influence zones. As a result methods of modeling general (industry) knowledge for territories with different level, global and local external effects, geographic identity of research of different types, maximization of research through alternative costs, monopoly industrial effects, impact of industrial competition and diversity, as well as knowledge ‘filter’ are revealed. Space characteristics of knowledge proliferation can be modeled through functions of activity and resistance, flexibility parameter, function of distance fading, parameter of transaction costs for knowledge transfer.

Localizing Learning: The Literati Enterprise in Wuzhou, 1100–1600 by Peter K. Bol

<i>Localizing Learning: The Literati Enterprise in Wuzhou, 1100–1600</i> by Peter K. Bol

Keeping on[line] farming: Examining young farmers’ digital curation of identities, (dis)connection and strategies for self-care through social media

This paper explores the geographies of digital curation and self-care among young farmers in the UK, examining how virtual and digital spaces are having a significant impact on how young farmers negotiate their identities, (dis)connection and self-care within their everyday lives. Drawing on interviews with 28 young famers in the UK, we observe how farming identities are (re)produced and practiced online, via carefully curated social media, and how these might constitute practices of self-care in overcoming issues such as disconnection and rural isolation. Our analysis reveals how social media posts are more than simple connections, they are curations of the self that are complexly bound up in the emotional, spatial and temporal contexts of the author’s identities. We examine how digital curation is not just an act of the self, but something drawn relationally to others. Attention is given not just to what is posted, but how others are (dis)engaged with, and how posts of others are reacted to, or endorsed, implicitly or explicitly. Through our examination of young farmers’ social identities, we therefore argue that digital identities are produced, practiced, managed and understood in very specific ways ‘online’, in ways that carefully overlap with other geographical identities.

Associations of polymorphisms of the &lt;i&gt;ACE&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;ACE2&lt;/i&gt; genes with clinical manifestations and cardiovascular complications of the coronavirus infection

A problem of the novel coronavirus infection pandemic is the absence of specific biomarkers, the determination of which would make it possible to assess the likelihood of a severe disease course, development of complications, immediate and long-term consequences, and effective etiotropic (antiviral) therapy. The severity of the novel coronavirus infection depends on various factors such as the initial state of health, immune status, age, smoking status, concomitant cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes mellitus. However, a severe disease course is also observed in patients without the aforementioned risk factors. The development of the disease and its complications depends on sex and geographical identity. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), associated by gene-gene interaction with ACE, plays a main role in the pathogenesis of the penetration of severe acute respiratory syndrome-2 coronavirus into the cell. The main body of information on this problem is represented by systematic meta-analyses and results of single-center cohort studies, which offer insufficient information to unequivocally assert the associations of ACE and ACE2 gene polymorphisms with pathological changes in the circulatory system during and after a new coronavirus infection. Differences in the incidence of ACE and ACE2 alleles may explain the differences between susceptible populations and/or response to the severe coronavirus infection. The above studies were carried out on the effect of the coronavirus in the initial period of the pandemic. For a more complete molecular genetic picture of the influence of polymorphism, persons with different strains of the coronavirus must be considered. In addition, no data are available regarding the expressions of ACE and ACE2 genes in response to a coronavirus infection. Moreover, the identification of the polymorphic variants of the genes of the reninangiotensinaldosterone system and ACE2 associated with a high risk of developing and worsening cardiovascular diseases may be one of the promising areas for the early diagnosis and prevention of post-COVID-19 changes. Therefore, all scientific interest research is aimed at studying genetic factors, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms that affect susceptibility to infection, severity of the disease course, and development of circulatory system consequences. In general, polymorphic variants of ACE and ACE2 and their interaction will help us understand this problem and systematize knowledge for further research in this area.

Going West: Migrating Personae and Construction of the Self in Rabbinic Culture by Reuven Kiperwasser

Reviewed by: Going West: Migrating Personae and Construction of the Self in Rabbinic Culture by Reuven Kiperwasser Matthew Goldstone Reuven Kiperwasser. Going West: Migrating Personae and Construction of the Self in Rabbinic Culture. Providence, RI: Brown Judaic Studies, 2021. 237 pp. Reuven Kiperwasser’s Going West: Migrating Personae and Construction of the Self in Rabbinic Culture explores how narrators of the Yerushalmi and Bavli constructed regional identities through portrayals of rabbinic interactions with internal Others (i.e., rabbis from one location visiting or residing in another location). Grounded in both theoretical and literary methodologies, this work encourages readers to redirect their attention from rabbinic interactions with groups typically understood as outsiders in the eyes of the rabbis (e.g., minim) to the prevalent experiences of alterity among those within rabbinic circles. Kiperwasser presents a compelling case for understanding narratives about Babylonian and Palestinian rabbinic interactions as important sites for the negotiation of the respective storyteller’s geographic identity. Moreover, he highlights the greater significance of Babylonian visitors impacting Palestinian rabbinic identity than the role of Palestinian figures impacting Babylonian rabbinic identity. In conceptualizing travel narratives, Kiperwasser adopts the helpful framework of hospitality. This perspective allows him to reflect on the roles and [End Page 178] expectations of both host and guest as rabbinic characters uphold or deviate from these positions. In articulating the nature of hospitality, Kiperwasser draws upon certain Derridean theorizations, such as the interrupted self, that at times enhance his textual readings throughout the eight main chapters. Following an introduction that provides background and some methodological considerations, the first six chapters of the book focus on depictions within Palestinian literature (primarily the Yerushalmi) of Babylonians (most of whom are rabbis) coming to Palestine. The first chapter adopts a bird’s eye view of Palestinian perceptions of Babylonians. In addition, this chapter discusses the erection of geographic boundaries through the need for Palestinian rabbis to ask permission before leaving Palestine and explores the use of humor as a form of defense mechanism. The subsequent two chapters revolve around the ways lay and elite visitors from Babylonia impact the formation of Palestinian rabbinic selves. According to Kiperwasser, through mocking stereotypes about Babylonians and the reinforcement of hierarchies in which Babylonians remain inferior to their peers, Palestinian narrators construct their own identities in response to the presence of internal Others. Chapters 4 and 5 narrow in on a few specific rabbis, examine rabbinic openness to absorbing elements of their peers’ cultural particulars, and explore the ways in which Palestinian leaders might have felt reliant upon their Babylonian colleagues. Chapter 6, the last of the chapters that focus on Palestinian sources about Palestinian hosting of Babylonian figures, looks at the use of shared traditions in the Yerushalmi and Bavli, paving the way for an articulation of the differences between the Palestinian and Babylonian employment of hospitality narratives for the cultivation of regional rabbinic identities. The final two chapters revolve around Bavli narratives about Palestinians coming to Babylonia (chapter 7) and Babylonians going to Palestine (chapter 8). Within these stories, Kiperwasser observes the way in which the Bavli minimizes conflict between figures and transforms what appeared in Palestinian sources as an interacademy episode into an internal Babylonian story. The foci of these accounts lead Kiperwasser to conclude that the narrators of Bavli hospitality episodes were less drawn to utilizing such interactions as a basis for the construction of Babylonian rabbinic identities than were Palestinian authors. Kiperwasser consolidates his observations in the conclusion, which delineates three forms of rabbinic selves: the more empathetic self, torn between xenophobia and philoxenia; the xenophobic self, as captured by a passage in Song of Songs Rabbah; and the more benevolent Babylonian narrator who uses Palestinian figures to embellish his sense of self. These abstracted representations map the variety of sources onto a simplified framework for basic comparison, allowing Kiperwasser to posit core geographic differences in the rabbinic depiction and use of hospitality narratives. Bearing in mind that an author can never include everything relevant to a particular topic, there are two lacunae that stand out as areas that would have strengthened the work. First, although Kiperwasser devotes attention to a theoretical Derridean framework for thinking about hospitality, he...

(De) Construction of State Identity through Postcolonial Examination of Geography: A Case Study of Nepal

Postcolonialism on geographical studies encompasses scholarships that draw on postcolonial perspectives to challenge forms of colonial and imperial domination of geographical narratives. The studies within and beyond geography have construed how colonial discourse and discrimination have distinctive spatial dimensions and special effects on the (de)construction of the identity of the states. Thus, applying postcolonial lenses and examining colonial and Eurocentric geographical narratives, the paper aims to deconstruct the state identity. First, the paper introduces postcolonial studies to geography by way of a review of the literature. Then, the paper reviews the Eurocentric geographical architecture to establish modern geography as a western or colonial creation. Additionally, the paper provides a colonial justification for those geographical constructs and paves the way for de-mapping the Eurocentric geographies. Notably, the paper takes a unique case study of Nepal and examines the colonial geographical frameworks the British East India Company constructed during colonisation in the Indian subcontinent. Likewise, the paper outlines the consequential colonial geographical narratives formed due to the colonial discourses and the postcolonial explanation of Nepal’s identity. In the end, the paper presents Nepal’s native geographical identity by comparing Divya Upadesh with that of the colonial narratives. In conclusion, the paper emphasises the Eurocentric and colonial geographical penetration into the knowledge system to construct a state identity and postcolonial approach as the method of deconstructing those identities of the state.

Regional Identity and Intangible Heritage Related to Saffron Cultivation in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain)

Agriculture is an important economic activity across much of the Western world. Beyond its productive purpose, we can also identify a cultural function that is expressed in the existence of a rich heritage associated with the interactions between nature and humans over time. This heritage includes tangible and intangible assets, the latter including traditional knowledge, history, knowledge of natural cycles, and the identification of the local population with its landscapes; in short, resources are understood as a legacy that needs to be reappraised and passed on to future generations. Saffron cultivation is an example of an agricultural landscape with significant intangible heritage values associated with the know-how and the family-run nature of the farms. The resources linked to saffron cultivation in the region of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain) are described in this paper, with an emphasis on how local communities perceive them as an integral part of their geographical identity. The results, following in-depth interviews with different local actors, demonstrate the potential for the intangible values associated with saffron to drive local development in many rural areas once they have been reappraised and classified as assets for attracting tourism.

‘Himalayasia’: Reclaiming Regional Identity in South Asia

South Asia is a conflict-prone region with numerous humanitarian challenges. South Asian states have long been struggling to bridge the political gaps among themselves. Regionalism has not been instrumental enough in this regard. This paper identifies a lack of regional identity for the South Asian peoples as one of the major obstacles why regionalism has never had much impact on the political map of South Asia. It is argued here that South Asia needs a major regional reorientation to reclaim its historic and cultural commonalities. And, that can be facilitated by a unique and meaningful geographical identification. In this regard, the Himalayan Mountain Range can be regarded as a geographical connector of the major South Asian States; hence, ‘Himalayasia’ could be a suitable name for their regional reorientation. The proposition is an outcome of a people-centric approach to constructing collective identity through social interaction among the peoples of South Asia based on their geographical identity and its already existing socio-cultural and civilizational legacies, which is expected to have gradual and incremental political implications in the states of this region. The research is qualitative-constructive as well as normative. It uses information, concepts and ideas from secondary sources and based on that substantiates new propositions vis-à-vis regional identity in South Asia.

Evaluation of Primary School Teachers' Questioning Skills Regarding Teaching Geography Subjects According to Revised Bloom's Taxonomy

Purpose: The main purpose of geography teaching in primary school is to give students a geographical identity, to introduce and make sense of the local and global environment. Qualifying questions and geographical inquiry skills play an essential role in achieving the goals as mentioned above of geography. The purpose of this research is to determine the level of primary school teachers' questioning skills for teaching place and way-finding gains in terms of Revised Bloom's Taxonomy. The revised Bloom Taxonomy consists of six categories: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. &#x0D; Design/Methodology/Approach: The research was carried out based on the document analysis pattern, one of the qualitative research methods, by following per the purpose of the study. The research was carried out with 32 primary school teachers working in public schools in different provinces of Turkey in the 2020-2021 academic year. To collect data in the research, the "Questioning Skill Form about Finding Place and Way-finding Gains" was used. A total of 426 questions prepared by the teachers were analyzed by descriptive analysis in terms of the cognitive process dimension of the Revised Bloom Taxonomy.&#x0D; Findings: In line with the data obtained and the analyzes made, determined that the questions prepared by the teachers for the location acquisitions were at a low cognitive level. In addition, determined that the questions prepared by the teachers were mainly for the steps of understanding, remembering, and applying, respectively. &#x0D; Highlights: Within the scope of the results obtained, suggestions are offered for primary school teachers' tendency to create more questions about high-level cognitive areas in the teaching of place and direction, which is a functional subject, and for further research.

THE METHODOLOGY OF ISLAMIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE: A CONCEPTUAL STUDY

Islamization of knowledge (IOK) merges ethical principles of Islam with the finest contemporary intelligence to reach a new ijma (consensus) pertinent to divine pieces of knowledge, sciences and scientific methods that are compatible with Islamic teachings, ethics and values. Islamizing knowledge and thought are crucial to attaining the objective of Islam in human existence regardless of their religious or geographical identities. It, therefore, is fit to be incorporated in most pure sciences. The process of IOK often in its commencement emphasizes the style and method above its substance to circulate its essence through an appropriate structure. It values the higher objective, Islamic teachings and ethics in its process, which are Islam's foundation in socio-political and epistemological paradigms. There is an actual obscure for any embryonic paradigm to pattern a dynamic methodology, and IOK is not unconventional from that obscure. Although IOK characteristically upholds its strength in terms of its methodological features of direct and indirect divine scriptures, which remarkably minimize the obstacles in its journey, yet, there is a pressing need for the investigation of current methodology and adoption of newly devised methodologies based on the sources of knowledge and whose proposal is to be the aim of the study. A descriptive approach of the qualitative method will be followed to achieve the study's objective.

Changing the Perspective, Adapting the Scale: Macro- and Microlithic Technologies of the Early Mesolithic in the SW Iberian Peninsula

Abstract What determines the choice of a particular lithic solution from among the set of knowledge and skills that are part of the cultural background of a group? The Early Mesolithic of the SW Iberian Peninsula shows a high diversity of lithic solutions considering the various aspects of the manufacturing process. At each site, the group selects the most adequate solution to respond efficiently to the needs. Contemporary sites may document quite different lithic components; there are no recurring patterns. Macrolithic and microlithic technologies were adopted, depending on the site, but the selection of one rather than another seems to be independent of the function of the site. Then, what does dictate the choice? A number of factors come to mind such as environmental contingencies, purpose, ability, and ethnicity. This Early Mesolithic defining trait diverges from the pattern observed for the final Upper Palaeolithic, where the same constellation of tools is systematically represented in the archaeological record, as well as flint, even in regions where flint as a natural resource is absent. Macrolithic technologies directed towards the massive production of cutting edges and heavy-duty tools produced from medium coarse-grained rocks co-exist, in SW Iberian Early Mesolithic, with microlithic technologies focused on the production of small bladelets made from good quality chert types and transformed into tiny armatures. Although contemporaneous, each lithic solution has its own geographical identity. How should we study these distinctive productions while at the same time respecting their diversity? No analytical template is sufficiently comprehensible to enable us to understand the multitude of “memories” that lithics carry. However, some approaches can help us to overcome the impasse by letting us read the hidden histories that lie behind lithic artefacts.